RAM Disks

[Johnny]

Hello, I'm new to posting here at the Notion Forum; however, I have been reading the forum and using Notion for a about a year.
This is a cool music place on the web.
AND!!!
Thanks to you all at Notion Music for your great works.

Sorry about the type line spacing _"I don't know how to indent the lines with this input window".

Long story short. My old AMIGA had a RAM Disk built into it's operating system.
RAM Disks are software programs that create data storage space in random access memory, the "RAM" of a computers 2nd or 3rd level of data storage. Access time for this level of data that resides in memory can be more than 50x faster than a physical hard drive "WITH NO MOVING PARTS".
Yes! it's volatile data storage ie. (when you shut off the computer, the RAM stored data is lost).

On the other hand physical hard drives take a beating from "starting, stopping and re-playing the same thing over and over again during the process of production.

On my computer systems I sometimes use a RAM Disk" to temporarily store and stream copies of Notion xxx.prox files for a small instrumentation list
ie.
Piano.prox,
Oboe.prox,
Drum set.prox. etc..etc..
Then redirect Notions "Samples Folder" path to the RAM disk.

Today, with computers that hold more RAM memory that is cheaper than ever before why not run the complete Notion sound library from a ram disk. To save time, the library could load at computer startup from an image file).

Try this out.

Save your physical hard drive and your own precious time!

You won't believe how lightening fast the MIDI keyboard response time is of the Notion sounds in ram while in playback and recording.

I use a ram disk for both audio and video applications. Also use one for temporary Internet files.

,Johnny

P.s The now and next generation of vst's that use "modeling technology" by processing the sound probably won't benefit from the ram disk option.

[wcreed51]

The Notion sounds are already fully loaded into RAM. RAM disks are a throw back to 20 years ago...

[Johnny]

The Notion sounds are already fully loaded into RAM. RAM disks are a throw back to 20 years ago...

You are missing my point.

Example: If a Full Score Template is loaded into Notion and you write 10 measure of flute onto the score window and then at measure 11 write notes onto every staff on the screen when play back is started the full sample library is "NOT" loaded until called for at measure 11. Because of the slow access to a physical hard drive a buffer must be used to feed the data stream as needed. Again the Notion sounds are "Not" fully loaded into RAM at the start of play back.

Another example: When multiple sound files ie. "wave" files are added at various points along the timeline they are "NOT" loaded into RAM until called for play back.

Again, when you load a Notion file the sounds are not loaded until needed. That's where a RAM Disk's access time shines. Buffer settings can be set very! very low.

NO MOVING PARTS!
, Johnny

P.s. Do a test with a resource and hard drive monitor. In Vegas Video and Adobe After Effect like other software they rely of RAM Disk previews. In Sonar the hard drive monitor doesn't even move when using a RAM disk for audio file play back or while accessing "large vst" library streams.

[Wolfgang]

I run Notion on my SSD. It's already lightning fast. And survives shutdown

[Johnny]

I run Notion on my SSD. It's already lightning fast. And survives shutdown

As noted previously: To save time, the sample library could load at computer startup from an image file that is saved on the physical hard drive.
If a computer is put into "sleep" mode the RAM Disk and the data on it are maintained for use when you wake it up.
Unless you like to shut-down your computer ever time you walk away from it, start-ups/reboots would be seldom.

RAM Disks provide 25x faster performance than SSD drives. That's quite a bit faster. And they don't ware out.

Another example of the benefits of a RAM Disk could be during a live theater performance where a RAM Disk can provide top performance with no dropout due to HD latency issues.

[wcreed51]

The load time for Notion sounds is negligible. All other sound libraries load when you open the file.

Sorry, I just don't see the point...

[Johnny]

Here are some other points!

Raw ram data (samples, etc.) can be moved or deleted by the system if not used often as time goes by and must be re-loaded from the storage medium again when needed. In a live performance you may hear pop! and clicks!

A RAM disk file is stored in a "Dedicated Space" with a "Drive Letter/Name" and the data will not be moved,delete etc. unless you choose to over-write or delete it.

NOT A PROBLEM WITH RAM DISK. It re-loads "from" RAM not from a 3rd or 4th level memory storge device.
NO MOVING PARTS!
25-70x Faster!

"Exporting Audio" (mixing down) believe it or not renders better,faster and is more stable.

Again RAM disks allows setting audio buffers to there lowest setting...

Audio file export writes in two blinks of a eye. Loading a sound file stored on RAM Disk onto the Notion Cursor_! one blink of a eye. MIDI keyboard recording accuracy is MUCH! better (more accurate "what you hear is what you get and see" in the note recognition).

,Johnny

[pcartwright]

I agree with Bill on this one. There's not much to be gained here. Even large libraries stream from HDD very efficiently these days.

[Johnny]

I agree with Bill on this one. There's not much to be gained here. Even large libraries stream from HDD very efficiently these days.

20-25x faster "drive" access time than an solid state drive.
Truly testing the limits! of this data source and how it's level of performance
and how it works and feels "especially live" is a good experience IMO before being judgmental about it's benefits.

Use? or not?
Not always or on every project.
Just a tool to explore it's ability and to know how to use it when and if needed .

For live presentations (say an opera) using Notion Sounds from "ram disk" and NTempo for accompaniment. Access time 0.

Click and Pops!!!

NONE!

,Johnny

P.s. Think of the CPU core memory space "as a dirt shovel (dinner spoon in size) shoveling very fast.
Shoveling data from present day hard drives is comparable to using a pitchfork "with tines" to dig dirt from the earth.
Lost time refreshing raw ram from level 3-4 storage devices access time is too slow to refresh lost or over-written "raw data" in RAM space without a "file table system. ie. L:\myNOTION_RAMdisk/orch

No Moving Parts.

,Johnny